Barnet to have 'best medical imaging facilities in the country'

Tony Kleanthous claims Barnet will soon have the best medical imaging facilities in the country and after announcing a ground-breaking partnership with Toshiba Medical Systems.

The Bees chairman proudly announced the club’s state-of-the-art stadium and training facility at The Hive will shortly be opening a medical centre of excellence specialising in radiology and the treatment of head trauma and concussion.

Set to become operational in April next year, the football centre in Camrose Avenue, Edgware, will accommodate a research facility and training academy housing £2m worth of the latest cutting-edge Ultrasound, CT, digital X-Ray and MRI scanning technology.

Kleanthous hailed the agreement with Toshiba Medical Systems as the first of its kind.

“The Hive Medical Centre and Toshiba Imaging Academy will once again demonstrate how we are able to push the boundaries and create first-class facilities to be shared and used by both the elite and the community,” Kleanthous said.

Tony Kleanthous

“As a former director of both the FA and the Football League and now a director of the Conference, I’ve become increasingly aware of the lack of quality medical facilities available to those in the English game.

“This has led to British sportsmen and women seeking medical treatment abroad and the partnership we are announcing today will address this situation.

“No other club will have the facilities the will be here at The Hive.”

Kleanthous, who recently lodged an appeal against Harrow Council’s planning notice ordering Barnet to make costly alterations to their stadium, insisted the agreement further underlines the club’s commitment to benefiting local residents.

“I said (when I opened this site) we were going to create an international class training facility and here we are today open to the community,” Kleanthous said.

“Teams for all around the world including Brazil, Germany, Portugal and Chile have come and used the same facilities.

“Now we are proud to announce we are creating world-class medical facilities to be used by both the elite and the community. They will be open to all.

“It has taken me over two years to put this project with Toshiba together and I would really like to thank them for putting their faith in me, Barnet FC and The Hive.”

Edgar Davids

Barnet director of football Paul Fairclough, who is also manager of the England C side, said he could scarcely believe the progress the club has made in such a short space of time.

“I really do have to pinch myself when I think of what has gone on here under the guidance and vision of Tony Kleanthous,” Fairclough said.

“This facility will now have what Arsene Wenger has got, what Jose Mourinho has – they have the same type of facilities as we will have here.

“But at Barnet we do things our own way. We don’t just focus on the elite side of everything, we reach out to a much broader spectrum. What we offer here will be for everybody.”

Barnet head-coach and former Champions League winner Edgar Davids, insisted imaging facilities at the club will now be amongst the best in world football.

“I spent many years in Italy and even at Milan Lab they don’t have facilities like this,” he said.

“The recent cases with Fabrice Muamba and now all the issues surrounding concussion and head trauma, are particularly relevant at this time."